Draco's sentence
by dantemalfoy
Summary: Drarry slash. The Wizengamot deals Draco a harsh sentence, but this time Harry and his friends stand behind him. They race to find a solution while disquieting news abound, and things head to a climax in front of Malfoy Manor. The aftermath of the actions at the Manor is widespread, reaching a crescendo at Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN:** This originated as a response to slythindor100 challenge #161, which consisted of a list of 20 words. I used all of them in reverse order. The story has five parts which I will post in the coming days.  
**Warnings:** sundry plot twists, a different version of wandlore, Wizengamot politics, NC-17 in upcoming chapters, and bottom!Draco._

Don't like? Don't read.

* * *

"The Wizengamot, in solemn session, has reached a verdict about Draco Malfoy's sanction!" said Mrs. Thistlewaite, the spokesperson for the august body.

Harry's fingers gripped the edge of his seat, his eyes narrowing in concern at the defenseless figure of Draco, who sat in the first row, his blond hair contrasting sharply against the plum-colored hats of the wizards and witches around him. His gaze fixed on Malfoy, Harry mumbled low under his breath, "Mine, mine!"

Mrs. Thistlewaite brandished her wand with a lazy motion and a parchment rose up in the air, unfurling in front of her lined face. She peered at it and said slowly, "The sentence reads as follows…" She stopped to raise her fist to her mouth, coughing discreetly.

Meanwhile, Draco's pupils widened with dread.

"House arrest for one year, during which he will be deprived of the use of his wand."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Thistlewaite?" Luna said, raising her hand.

The members of the Wizengamot muttered among themselves, some of them glancing at the snowy-haired witch with disdain stamped on their features.

Finally, Mrs. Thistlewaite nodded slowly at Luna. "What is it you want, Lovegood?"

"If Draco can't use his wand, can I lend him mine?" Luna raised her slim hand and twirled her wand between her fingers. "It's widely known that Muggles pool their resources, and I'd like to do the same."

"Nonsense," growled Mr. Compton, a wizened old man. "What Muggles do is of no concern to this body!"

Mrs. Thistlewaite shook her head sadly and shot Luna a sympathetic glance. "I'm afraid that won't be possible, Lovegood. Draco Malfoy will only be able to use magic after the date which is magically stamped on his sentence." She pointed at the parchment in front of her.

Harry edged forward on his chair, his keen gaze drawn to Draco's tired face. His fingers itched with the need to brush that frown off his boyfriend's handsome features. He was so lost in thought about how he could circumvent the Malfoy wards and visit Draco at the Manor, that Mrs. Thistlewaite's final words caught him by surprise.

"I'm afraid the bill for the improvement of the rights of house-elves has been temporarily tabled."

Hearing those words, Hermione shot a furious glare at the wizards and witches in front of her and fished out her wand from her fashionable jacket, swishing it angrily at the sheaf of parchments on the table to jam them into her briefcase.

She raised her chin and noticed the way Mr. Compton sneered at her. Recalling all the hard work she and her friends had put into pressuring Shacklebolt to introduce the bill, she lost her composure enough to pound her hands upon the table, her voice rising almost to a shout. "This is not fair! I thought the end of Voldemort meant this bigoted attitude towards the house-elves would change at last!"

Hermione sighed when she felt Ron's fingers gripping her elbow. Her boyfriend leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Stable does it, Mione! Don't give these gits the satisfaction of watching your anger!"

Hermione took deep breaths, her annoyance assuaged by Ron's calm words. She shook her head angrily and mumbled, "I'd just love to squash Mr. Compton' sneer off his ugly face!"

"You've got to refrain from doing so," Ron said reasonably. "Think of Harry."

"Harry? What does Harry have to do with it?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ron. "He's been quite helpful with SPEW, but I fail to see why venting my anger at these bigoted idiots could hurt Harry."

"Spare him a glance, will you?" Ron cocked his chin towards his tousled-haired friend.

Hermione turned her head to the right, immediately noticing Harry's frown and the way his shoulders were hunched. She followed Harry's glance and saw Malfoy shooting his boyfriend a weary grin.

Hermione sighed wistfully, realizing that her best friend was deeply hurt by the Wizengamot sentence. Despite all their pleading on Draco's behalf, the wizards and witches had dealt harshly with Malfoy without taking into account his youth, or the fact that he had protected Harry's identity when the Snatchers brought them to Malfoy Manor.

"You're right, Ron," she said at last. She reached her arm to undo the clasp of her briefcase and rummaged inside, taking out her favorite marker and some parchments.

"You'll find a way to reverse the sentence," Ron said confidently. "If anyone can, it's you."

"Why are you so intent on it, though?" Hermione bent down to write on the parchment, her long locks a curtain that hid her face from the Wizengamot while she started plotting how to undo their latest idiocy. "You can't stand Draco."

"That's not entirely true," Ron said wearily. "I'll admit I didn't like it that he and Harry had corresponded secretly during the Horcrux hunt and opened up about their feelings."

Hermione nodded. "In hindsight, it explains perfectly well why Draco protected us from Goyle, and Harry rescued him from the Fiendfyre."

"But if Malfoy makes Harry happy, why should I stand between them?" Ron said reasonably.

Hermione shot her boyfriend a proud look and then fixed her gaze on the diagram she had traced on the parchment, mumbling to herself, "I have strong reservations about the current stand of the law. The precedent established when the Ministry pardoned Lucius years ago should help us argue Draco's case." She pressed her marker firmly, tracing a blue line that connected the bottom of the parchment to the top.

Meanwhile, Harry ambled towards his best friends, his chin lowered so his fringe covered his glasses and thus hid the thin sheen of tears that covered his eyes at the thought of being unable to be with Draco, whom he knew so well through their correspondence – and their fights too, if he was honest with himself.

"What are you doing, Hermione?" Harry said in a low voice.

"Nothing much," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. Then she brushed a lock of hair off her forehead and glanced up at Harry. "I may have just found the means to cobble together enough votes so the Wizengamot reverses its silly decision."

"Wot?" Harry blinked owlishly.

"It's all based on precedent, and Fudge's kowtowing to Lucius will come in handy," Hermione said, glaring behind her locks at Mr. Compton, who was nudging his hat. "Draco will be free!"

"You sure?" Harry said wonderingly.

"Mate, when Mione looks this determined, it means she's found the key!" Ron said.

Harry beamed at her and then took out his wand and rummaged inside the pocket of his robes, fishing out a napkin. He brandished his wand at it, smiling at the way the white corners folded in on themselves.

Hermione paused in her writing and tilted up her chin to glance at Harry. "What are you doing?"

"Just making a paper crane." Harry shrugged. "Draco told me how to do it in one of his letters. It is fitting I use it to let him know you're very near to set him free."

Harry raised the crane to his mouth and blew it towards his boyfriend in a heartfelt kiss. Draco raised his eyebrows at Harry's strange actions, a smile creeping up his face when he saw Harry giving him a thumbs up as the crane flew towards him.

Draco nodded slowly, sure that with Harry by his side, strong help was forthcoming.

* * *

_tbc_


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione pushed open the door of her house, the soft swishing sound calming her nerves, reminding her of happier times when her family was together.

Casting a glance at the photo of her parents on the table, she sighed sadly. She had a few leads on how to restore their memories, but there were more pressing concerns at the moment, namely Harry and the house-elves.

"Hermione, you're back!" Ron rose from the couch and made his way to her in a few strides of his long legs. "Should've gone with you!"

She shot him a kind smile. "It was easier this way. No one thought much of it when I and Susan Bones visited the Ministry."

"So, did you get it?" Ron peered at her beneath his fringe, anxiety curling down the corners of his lips.

"I did," Hermione said sharply and then walked to the couch, sitting down with a tired sigh.

"Susan proved crucial." She heaved her briefcase and placed it upon the table. Then she opened it and took out a piece of yellowed, cracked vellum. "Lots of Ministry workers respected her aunt, so they were liable to look kindly upon her request."

"So that is…" Ron pointed at the parchment.

"The official pardon of Lucius Malfoy after the First War." Hermione smoothed the vellum with the flat of her hands. "_'Hogwarts, a History'_ has a section with excerpts from official documents, and if my suspicions are correct…"

Hearing the swooshing sounds of the Floo, Ron glanced at the chimney. Sure enough, a slim figure condensed out of the green flames into sharply contrasting colors: white hair framing delicate features, and a slim body wrapped in dark robes.

Luna stumbled out of the fire but easily managed to get her equilibrium back. She greeted her friends with a severe nod, quite unlike her usual buoyancy.

"Sorry to interrupt you," Luna said. "I'm looking for Harry but I didn't find him in Grimmauld Place."

"Harry's trying to get to Draco," Ron said. "He thinks his magic will be powerful enough to bypass the wards the Ministry placed around Malfoy Manor to keep the family prisoner."

"I hope Harry succeeds," Luna said somberly. "I have bad news. Sources at the Quibbler tell me there's been a spate of attacks on former Death Eaters."

Hermione clenched the parchment, her knuckles white around the vellum. "By Merlin, those Wizengamot fools deprived Draco of his wand! What if they attack the Manor?"

Ron brushed his fingers through his red hair, leaving it even messier than usual. "That's why I'm not with Harry. Percy told me the wards they used are as strong as those of Gringotts, and since Bill is a master at breaking wards, I thought we could use him. I stayed here and contacted him; he'll be over as soon as he can."

"That's very good news." Luna's gaze wandered to the vellum Hermione clasped tightly between her hands. She cocked her chin at it. "What is that?"

"It's the document pardoning Lucius after the First War," Hermione said, gazing intently at the cursive lettering that crisscrossed the parchment. "I've a suspicion that they used those old-fashioned, flowery sentences I've encountered so many times in _Hogwarts, a History,_ and if they did, we might have found the key to save Draco!"

Hermione read aloud from the parchment while Ron and Luna listened intently.

_'Let it be known to all and sundry that the Ministry of Magic hereby grants this special pardon to the Malfoy blood.'_

Ron puzzled his brow in thought. "Why didn't they just say they were pardoning Lucius?"

Hermione glared at the parchment. "Because Lucius' pockets were ample, and the wizards that wrote the pardon wanted to ingratiate themselves with Malfoy by using these old terms denoting blood supremacy!" She glanced up at them. "Do you see what it means?"

Luna nodded, a slight smile tugging up the corners of her lips. "Because the Ministry expressly pardoned the Malfoy blood, that document could be construed as applying to Draco too!"

Ron looked up at the sound of someone coming through the Floo. He expected to see his tall brother, but instead he recognized his best friend, who stumbled and fell on a heap to the floor.

Ron dashed towards his friend and grabbed Harry's arm, pulling him up gently. He squinted at Harry, his blue eyes widening in alarm at the streaks of blood that marred Harry's forehead.

"Mate, what happened?" Ron said urgently.

"THOSE BLOODY WARDS!" Harry shouted in anger. "Have to get to Draco. Seems there are some evil gits going around, attacking former Death Eaters. And the bloody wards threw me out time and again! I felt this hook around my head, like they were repelling my magic."

Hermione walked up to them, holding in her hand a kerchief she had conjured, soaked in water. She used it to wipe the blood off Harry's face, saying in a smooth voice, "I found the solution in the old pardon of Lucius. The pompous fools at the Ministry used such broad terms that they can be interpreted as applying to Draco."

"Good," Harry shot her a grateful smile. "Knew I could count on you, Hermione. So the Wizengamot will be forced to reverse their decision?"

"That is true," Hermione said. "But given the news of the attacks, I'm worried about the time frame. We have to pressure Shacklebolt into calling a special session of the Wizengamot but that will take time. Two or three weeks."

"Blimey, they could get to Malfoy in that time!" Ron said, rubbing the knuckles of his hand.

"Hermione, isn't that pardon magical or something?" Harry said, peering at her over the rim of his glasses. "We could invoke it aloud and it might free Draco!"

Hermione shook her head sadly. "It is binding and magical, but in order to restore Draco's rights to use magic, it has to be strengthened by a vote in the Wizengamot."

"What will we do then?" Harry lowered his chin, his shoulders hunched down in defeat.

"Draco's right to use magic?" Luna said wonderingly. She approached her friends, a frown on her alabaster brow. "I don't seem to recall Mrs. Thistlewaite using those words."

"She said Draco couldn't use his wand." Harry shrugged. "So it's the same thing, really."

"I don't think so," Luna said dreamily. "What wand is Draco using, by the way?"

"Narcissa's. I haven't gotten around to giving back his wand." Harry's eyes widened. "Hey, that's the solution! If I give him back his wand, he can use it to defend himself!"

"Don't think it's that easy, mate," Ron said. "Remember you won that wand from Malfoy, it might not work for him anymore."

"I disagree. I'm not totally convinced by Ollivander's words about the allegiances of wands." Hermione said, her eyes fixed on the photo of her parents on the table.

She knew that wherever her father and mother were, a piece of her heart would abide with them forever, whether they were aware of her existence or not. It was her love for her parents that forced Hermione to wipe their memories to save their lives.

"But Ollivander was very convincing," Harry said.

"That he was." Ron nodded.

Hermione cocked her hips, her arms akimbo as she shot her friends a glare. "Come on, you two! Do you recall when I used Bellatrix' wand? I had so many difficulties wielding that wand; it felt odious, foreign. It never fit me well, the way Draco's wand fit you like a glove, Harry!"

Harry blushed, recalling the feelings of excitement and power he got using Draco's wand.

"I think Ollivander got it half-right," Hermione continued. "There's some truth about gaining possession of a wand through battling the wizard; but didn't Dumbledore imply that the greatest power is love?"

Harry shot Hermione a surprised look. "So… you think Draco loved me when I got the wand from him?" he said in a tentative voice.

Hermione huffed, exchanging an exasperated look with Ron and Luna. Ron rolled his eyes discreetly at the cluelessness of his best friend. It was obvious to him that there had always been strong feelings between Malfoy and Harry. That was the reason he wasn't surprised when he found out Harry and Malfoy corresponded during the Horcrux hunt, or the poem Harry owled him.

Luna shrugged nonchalantly. "Draco knew what would happen if Voldemort found out you had escaped, and yet he couldn't betray you at the Manor. I'm sure the wand will work perfectly for Draco, for it belongs to the two of you."

Harry sighed, his yearning desire to see Draco shooting spikes of need through his body. He had to save his snarky boyfriend, if only to wipe that smirk off his face with a kiss!

Harry made a fist and hit the palm of his left hand, saying in a firm voice, "Fine, but how do we get through the wards around the Manor to give it to him?"

* * *

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

"Winny is sorry, master Draco, very, very sorry is she!"

Draco tilted down his chin to gaze at the house-elf, who cowered behind her tea towel, bowing her huge head so low that the points of her large ears swept against the marble floor.

"That's fine, Winny, I understand," he drawled softly. "I'm not Father, you know. These days, even Father isn't himself." He reached down to pat the shoulder of the house-elf. "Now go and do your chores. You're the only house-elf left in this house and we need you."

"Masters need Winny, and she'll do her best!" Winny puffed up her thin chest with pride and popped out of the parlor.

"What was that all about, Draco?" Narcissa gazed at her son, gasping slightly as she paused next to the French windows, returning from a stroll through her precious gardens. She sauntered towards the middle of the parlor, arching her eyebrow at Draco.

"I told Winny to give a letter to… someone." Draco paused for a moment. "But she was unable to deliver it; it seems the wards placed by the Ministry impede her magic."

Narcissa nodded curtly, the sunshine pouring from the windows limning her blond hair in a soft halo while she shook her head. "I was afraid of that. Those wards constrict magic around the house; that's why I had to send most of the elves away when they started getting sick. Luckily, Andromeda accepted the burden and they're at her home."

She craned her neck toward the dashes of color of her gardenias, lilies and roses among the green lawn in the garden, savoring the sight. Merlin knew the flowers would decay swiftly if she lacked the help of the house-elves.

"They will aid her in taking care of Teddy, given that your Harry is otherwise occupied." She turned to gaze keenly at her son, her hands nervously tugging on the ruffles adorning the sleeves of her robes.

Draco's cheeks blushed a fierce red as he stuttered, "My Har... Harry? What do you mean, Mother?"

"Those owls from nowhere that kept coming to the house with the Dark Lord's minions all around required protection, son." The corners of her lips lifted up in a weary smile. "When I cast an illusion charm on them, I couldn't help but learn who had sent the owls." She raised her hand to forestall Draco's protests. "It makes no difference, I assure you. I would have learned the truth anyway when I asked Harry about your welfare in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, the Dark Lord watching our every move."

Narcissa paused to gather her breath.** "**His Gryffindor honesty shone through Harry's features, and I could see his love for you even at that dark moment."

"So Harry… loves me?" Draco said tentatively.

"You can trust a mother's instincts; or better yet, ask him yourself when you see him." Narcissa shook her head minutely at the obvious cluelessness of her son. She had seen it coming long ago, when Draco endlessly complained about Harry during every Summer break, and Harry Potter reacted so strongly to Draco's taunts.

She stepped towards her son, raising her arm to touch his shoulder. "I'm not displeased by this; on the contrary, I only want to see you happy, son."

"What about Father?"

"Leave Lucius to me," Narcissa said softly, belying the threatening smirk that crept up her face.

Draco sighed deeply. "It may not matter in the end anyway. I doubt even Harry can pass through those wards, I notice their shimmering in the distance when I take a walk in the garden."

"You have to keep the flame of hope alive in your heart, Draco. Harry Potter is extraordinarily resourceful, trust me." Narcissa nodded at her son before making her way to the French windows, her slim hand resting on the ornate golden doorknob. "I've seen him survive Avada Kedavra, cast with all the hate at the command of the loathsome wizard who tortured us."

Narcissa sighed at the soft footsteps of her son leaving the parlor, frowning when Draco coughed discreetly into his hand before closing the door.

She crossed her arms, her shoes tapping nervously upon the marble floor. Narcissa trusted she would be able to follow her own advice and remain hopeful, for the truth was that she had discovered a horrendous fact.

The wards not only affected the magic of the house-elves, but also the health of her family. She could see it in Lucius and Draco, even herself. That little stroll in the garden had greatly taxed her strength. And all the owls she had sent to the Ministry reporting this ugly development remained unanswered.

She had to place her hope in the love she had seen briefly in the eyes of Harry Potter, the day when the fate of the Wizarding world rested on the shoulders of a brave young man.

* * *

oOoOo

Bill Weasley strode out of the chimney, his footsteps faltering for an instant before he recovered his poise. The afternoon sunshine glinted off his earring and struck copper sparks off his bright red hair, tied in a neat ponytail that reached to his shoulder.

He was immediately assaulted by a barrage of questions from his brother and his friends.

"Thank Merlin you're here, Bill. What took you so long?" said Ron.

"Will you help us break the wards?" Harry said breathlessly.

"We have to make our way to the Manor; I trust you know the way?" Hermione said, standing next to Ron.

"The flimminywickets are known to nibble on malicious wards. It's a pity I haven't seen any around, have you?" Luna said in hushed whisper.

"Oi, you lot had better pipe down!" Bill said, raising his arms. He leaned his tall frame on the wall as he gazed at them. "First off, Ron told me all about those wards, and I have some ideas about how to break them. Actually I'm late because I was speaking to Tinaxle, my goblin boss. He seemed keen on helping me for some strange reason…"

"The Malfoy vaults!" snorted Hermione. "Bet the goblins want those vaults to remain under the control of the Malfoys and not the Ministry."

"That may well be so," Bill said. "Anyway, the goblin told me something strange. He hinted that the wards appear to be indestructible just like Voldemort, but they could be vanquished in the same way."

Harry shivered, feeling the intense scrutiny of his friends. Then he squared his shoulders and fished out his wand, the hawthorn wood pliant around his fingers. "There's only one way to find out, right? Let's go to the Manor and save Draco!"

"We'll have to Apparate just outside the gates," Hermione said. "Better make it half a mile to be safe. You all know the place?"

Everyone nodded, including Bill. He knew the layout of the Manor, having studied the map in his office just before Tinaxle showed up.

The wizards and witches duly Apparated, making their way to Malfoy Manor.

* * *

oOoOo

Bill muttered a spell in Gaelic, deftly swishing his wand at the glimmering wall that shielded the Manor grounds from their eyes. A strong red beam shot straight towards the wards. They all held their breath as the red grew, splashing against the magical barrier before being slowly reabsorbed.

"Bloody hell!" Bill cursed, hunching down his shoulders. "That old incantation is supposed to be irresistible! It is even hinted at in the ancient sagas."

"What will we do?" Ron narrowed his eyes at the wards. "It's the fifth incantation you've tried, and those bloody wards appear to be getting stronger and fatter."

"What if Harry casts the spell?" Luna said with a serious mien. "Remember what the goblin said? That the wards could be vanquished just like Voldemort? Perhaps the final touch we need is Harry's magic."

Bill nodded at that and walked up to Harry, coaching him in the precise way to utter the incantation, holding his wrist to show him the correct motions.

Meanwhile, Hermione gazed around at the grounds and remembered vividly the anguish and pain of her stay in the Manor. She wondered if she would be able to visit the place if Harry decided to settle down with Draco. Glancing at her best friend's stern features while he listened to Bill, Hermione recalled the travails they had endured through the years and the answer to her doubts became clear; of course she would visit the Manor if Harry was there.

Places were not as important as the ties of friendship and love that endured.

Harry stood in front of the Manor grounds, feet firmly on the earth as he glanced at the shimmering wards. Swishing his wand just like Bill taught him, he said the incantation in a strong voice. A green beam shot out of the hawthorn wand which pulsed briefly between his fingertips; having reached the wards, it spread and dappled them with emerald spots between the angry reds. Harry held his breath, his heart hammering a harsh rhythm on his chest as his magic and the wards clashed for endless seconds. He lowered his chin, sighing despondently when he saw the green being reabsorbed into the wards.

He had failed, and Draco remained trapped inside, vulnerable to the attacks of the wizards that preyed on former Death Eaters.

"If only we had something stronger, mate!" Ron said, his features twisted in anguish at the obvious sadness of his friend. "You are the most powerful wizard in the world but when you vanquished the noseless git, you were the true master of the Elder wand and Voldemort's spell backfired!"

"Bloody hell!" Harry yanked on his hair, despair stamped on his features. "We need the Elder wand! I'll have to go back to Dumbledore's tomb and get it back."

"Perhaps not," Luna said, her voice resonating oddly in the lonely grounds a hundred yards away from the ominous wrought iron gate that jealously guarded the entrance to Malfoy Manor. "My dad knows the legend of the Deathly Hallows, and he's mentioned they're immanent."

"What?" Harry said, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"The Elder wand will always dwell in this world, just like Death does," Luna said in a whisper.

"But I placed it in Dumbledore's tomb!" Harry said with a big lump on his throat. "When I die, the wand's power will be broken."

"Do you honestly believe you can get rid of something that Death itself has wrought?" Luna sighed. "The wand of Destiny cannot be destroyed because it partakes of the qualities of Death, its creator."

She stepped towards Harry and gently gripped his elbow, raising it slowly so the smooth polish of the hawthorn wand glimmered in the afternoon sun. She thrust her chin at it and said in an awed whisper, "This is the new wand of Destiny."

"Are you barmy, Luna?" Ron said harshly. "Remember Ollivander's words? The Elder wand chose Harry as its master after he defeated Draco, and it remains where Harry put it, in the tomb!"

"Ron, I believe Luna is right," Hermione said slowly. She disregarded the astonished stares of her friends and went on. "I no longer wholly believe in what Ollivander told us. He was an old man and set in his ways. I choose to believe what Dumbledore showed us through the example of his life. It is our choices that define us."

"That can't be..." Ron started to say, but a glance at Hermione's raised hand caused him to stop.

"A piece of wood may have affinities, but remains an inanimate object with no free will, no matter how magical it is," Hermione said calmly, walking towards Harry. She touched his robes and splayed her fingers on his chest. "The magic that lies in your heart and your choices made you the master of the Elder wand. What it means is that whatever wand you choose as your own is the wand of Destiny."

"You can't escape your fate as the master of the Elder wand just like you cannot escape Death," Luna said sagely.

Harry shot an imploring look at Bill. "What do you think?"

Bill shrugged. "Luna and Hermione raise interesting points. I'm not versed in the Deathly Hallows like you lot; but I have to say I've met stranger things and magic in the course of my work."

Harry craned his neck to look at his best friend. "And you, Ron?"

"You know me, mate," Ron shrugged nonchalantly. "Hermione's reasoning eludes me, but she's correct most of the times."

Harry raised his wand, glancing around at his friends. "But I just used this wand on the wards and it did nothing!"

"Because you did not believe in your heart you were holding the wand of Destiny," Hermione pointed out. "It is your feelings, your beliefs and magic that power the spell."

"So if I use this wand, fully convinced I'm using the wand of Destiny and launch an incantation at the wards with all my heart, they'll break?" Harry said, wiping the sweat off his brow with the palm of his hand.

"I'm convinced they'll break. I've seen you face insurmountable odds and win," Hermione said, her belief in her friend obvious in the proud smile she shot at Harry.

Luna nodded her assent, joined a few seconds later by Bill and Ron.

"Fine, but what incantation will I use?" Harry said.

"Not the one in Gaelic," Hermione said. "I can't make up a spell for you in a moment, Harry. I do advise you, though, to concentrate on what your heart tells you."

Harry took a deep breath, slowly turning his back to face the wards. In those long seconds, so many feelings and memories rushed through his mind that it was a maelstrom whose vortex centered on one person: Draco Malfoy.

Brief glimpses of blond hair as Harry rushed after Draco and the Snitch. Reaching down his hand to lift up Draco and save him from the hellish flames of the Fiendfyre because he could not bear the thought of Draco dying. Harry eyeing him wearily and noticing the anguish stamped on Draco's features as he denied knowing him, Snatchers and Death Eaters surrounding them on all sides. Draco distracting Goyle so they could make their escape in the Room of Hidden Things.

His mind finally settled on the memory of facing Draco in their first duel which was presided by Snape and Lockhart. He recalled his feelings at seeing Draco's smirk while he taunted him. The truth was, Harry had been confused and a bit afraid, but those feelings were overwhelmed, as always, by the strong emotions Draco pulled out of him with that smirk.

Harry planted his boots firmly on the ground and squared his shoulders, glaring at the wards that dared keep him from Draco as he raised the hand that wielded the wand of Destiny.

He pictured Draco's lips twisted in his trademark smirk as he drawled,_ 'Scared, Potter?'_

"You wish!" Harry said softly, his heart settling on the spell he would use. It was the one he had employed against Draco so many times – and it was the same spell he used to destroy Voldemort.

Harry brandished the hawthorn wand with studied ease as he said in a strong voice, _"Expelliarmus!"_

* * *

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

Having cast the spell, a thick blue beam shot out of Harry's wand and collided with the wards. Harry held his wand steady as the spell unfolded, his breath hitching as he watched the effects; the glimmering dome that sealed the property started to show cracks like Norbert's egg when it hatched.

Harry gasped when the cracks appeared to diminish in size. The wards seemed to be mending themselves! He kept his arm steady as the blue beam bathed the dome, his magic intermingling with that of the wards. His body felt oddly displaced, as if he was undergoing one of the visions he had been plagued with during the time his scar connected him to Voldemort. This thought made him realize that the magic in the wards felt malignant, hateful, just like Voldemort's mind when he was involuntarily joined with it.

"Bloody Ministry!" Harry muttered under his breath, startling his friends. "They built the wards upon the residue of Voldemort's magic!"

Harry was dimly aware of his friends' excited babbling as he concentrated all his awareness on breaking the wards. His stance strong, he scowled at them while he poured all his love into the spell, recalling Dumbledore's words after Voldemort tried to possess him just after the Battle in the Department of Mysteries.

Voldemort's Dark Magic was repelled by love, so Harry wielded that weapon just as deftly as he was using the wand of Destiny, his mind flowing like a skipping stone across the joyful moments he had shared with Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and the Weasleys - until finally he dwelled on his feelings for Draco.

Harry's loneliness in the woods which was soothed when Draco's owl reached him, bearing his apologies. The exchange of letters that followed which brought them closer, and their heated groping on a Hogwarts cupboard that managed to survive the grueling Final Battle. In the midst of death and despair, their kiss offered succor to the battle-weary Seekers.

Harry closed his eyes, recapturing his mood in the middle of the woods when he composed the poem he sent to Draco, inspired by his feelings for the Slytherin.

He whispered softly,

_"Feelings escape the Pensieve of my heart,  
taking flight like thrushes high above,  
despair melts in a defeated Boggart,  
the incantation fueled by our love."_

The excited yelling of his friends caused Harry to open his eyes, his heart jumping with joy at what he saw. The cracks were multiplying, crisscrossing the wards which swiftly transmuted from an angry red to a translucent grey before they burst apart, dissolving into the air just like Voldemort when he was finally vanquished.

Despite the malicious designers of the wards, who cunningly employed the remaining magic of the darkest wizard that ever lived to control the wards, Harry had triumphed at last. The wards could not withstand the power of the wand of Destiny that cast the spell, woven as it was with the warp and weft of Harry's loving heart.

Harry was startled when Ron clapped his back. "Well done, mate. Knew you could do it!"

Bill walked up to them, shaking his head angrily which made his ponytail swish back and forth across his neck. "I can't believe the Ministry gits did that! You never build wards upon Dark magic because the results are hideous. I've dealt with Egyptian tombs and cursed castles where they did just that, causing anyone who dwelled there to die!"

Hearing those words, Harry shivered and started to walk fast towards the Manor. "Draco! I've got to see him!"

Hermione tried to keep up with her friend's long strides. "We've got to hurry! The Ministry will be aware sooner or later that the wards were destroyed. And if they were built with Dark magic, you know what that means!"

"They wanted to kill the Malfoys," Luna said breathily a few yards behind them. "Probably many of the former Death Eaters. I've heard they have similar wards around the Parkinson and Nott estates, and the place where Blaise lives."

Harry reached the wrought-iron gate, which opened smoothly when he pushed against it. The gate yielded so easily because it didn't have the proper wards set up by the Malfoys, of course. The thought made Harry scowl angrily at the ornate wrought iron as he passed through them.

He glanced at Hermione, thrusting his chin at the gates. "The evil gits who attack the former Death Eaters can pass through these powerful wards so easily! Makes you wonder, doesn't it?"

"Of course," Hermione said angrily. "They must be keyed into the wards. It's all a conspiracy to get rid of the former dark wizards, disregarding the law!"

The wizards and witches quickly crossed the lawn and arrived at the door of the house.

Hermione placed her hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezing gently. "You go in, Harry. I'll stand guard here to buy you some time when the Aurors arrive."

"I'm staying with you, Mione," Ron said, his hands balled into fists. "No way I'm leaving you alone with those gits!"

"I'll try to persuade them," Bill said, patting Harry's shoulder. "You go inside."

"I'll threaten them with exposure in the Quibbler," Luna said firmly. "It's bound to at least make them think."

Harry nodded at his friends and wrapped his hand around the serpentine door knocker. He winced at the sound it made against the wood just before it was opened by a house-elf.

"Err, is Draco here?" Harry said, smiling down at the house-elf.

"Certainly, Master Harry! He is in his study; Winny will take you to him!"

Harry followed Winny's tiny figure along the meandering corridors until they reached a heavy wooden door. The house-elf bowed low to Harry before she disappeared with a popping sound.

Harry raised his hand to knock on the door when he heard Draco talking inside.

"Yes, sir. I've spoken with my friends and they all report the same thing. The financial statements are clear; if you remember, last week I told you my reasoning."

There was a long pause as Harry's fingers splayed on the wood, unsure of who Draco was talking to.

"You must have realized by now the risks you are facing with your wards, sir. I will keep in touch."

Harry's impatience got the best of him; he pushed open the door and strolled inside. He saw Draco sitting in front of his desk, cradling a mirror between his hands.

Draco looked up at the sound and his eyes widened when he saw Harry Potter standing there. "Harry! You're here!"

Then he noticed Harry was frowning at the mirror. Draco had a fit of coughing as he put the mirror face down on his desk. He finally said, "This is a Malfoy heirloom, one of several two-way mirrors. A while ago I gave them to my friends and they are the means we use to keep in touch. Apparently their subtle magic is the only thing able to pass through the wards."

Draco shivered at that, his expression a mix of elation and curiosity as Harry's presence finally sunk into his consciousness. "You passed through the wards!"

"It wasn't easy but I made it." Harry frowned at Draco and then opened his arms. "Git, come here and give me a hug!"

Draco jumped out of his chair and pounced on Harry, his arms wrapping tightly around his waist as he sighed deeply, burrowing his face on Harry's shoulder. "Knew you would do it! You're so special, Harry!"

Harry cupped Draco's chin with his thumb and forefinger and gently tilted it up, his tongue laving the seam of Draco's pouty lips. Their kiss was brief and chaste, unlike the first one in the ruins of Hogwarts. Draco's taste felt sweet and sharp, as if he had been indulging on Narcissa's sugary treats.

Harry broke the kiss with reluctance, mindful of Hermione's warnings about the Aurors. They would raise a fuss and might even arrest them all. He had to give Draco his wand! After all, it was his purpose when he came here.

Harry leaned his forehead against Draco as he closed his eyes. _What will happen if I give him his wand? _Harry thought. _After all, it is the wand of Destiny. How can I be sure Draco will use it wisely and not go into a rampage? Hermione said it was our choices that define us, and Draco has made so many bad choices in the past._

"Harry, I'm so happy you're here!" Draco whispered against Harry's cheek, unmindful of Harry's train of thought.

_But he chose not to kill Dumbledore, he didn't betray me at the Manor and he saved me from Goyle._ Harry breathed Draco's woodsy scent which reminded him of a copse of pines. _He apologized in writing, and he's just a lonely bloke, forced by destiny to fight this bloody war just as I was._

"Harry? What are you thinking about?" Draco said, his voice laced with impatience.

_If Hermione's right, Draco's wand became the wand of Destiny right after he disarmed Dumbledore._ Harry shuddered at the recollection of those awful moments. _He became the Master of the Elder wand right then. He could've killed me and escaped. If he was not in control of the nuances of his magic, he would have become Voldemort's right hand man, and he could have easily overpowered my wand and killed me at the Manor._

"Potter, what's the matter with you? Kneazle got your tongue?" Draco poked Harry's chest angrily.

_It's all about choices. Draco chose to sacrifice himself for his parents, to stand by me in his underhanded Slytherin way and to become my boyfriend, knowing the stress he would face._ Harry opened his eyes, his fingers caressing Draco's smooth cheek. "I choose to believe in you," Harry whispered tenderly.

"Finally you deign to speak to me, Potter," Draco huffed, leaning his cheek into Harry's touch. "I thought you were lost in that Pensieve of your heart."

"We don't have time, Draco," Harry said urgently, fishing his wand out of the pocket of his robes and pressing it into Draco's palm. "Take your wand and use it wisely to defend yourself and your family."

Draco shivered at the jolt of magic that shot sparks through his body. In the moment when the hands of the Seekers clasped around the wand that had played such a major role in their lives, there was an ineffable connection, a hint of Destiny fulfilled. The pliant wand hummed happily, the magic imbued in the unicorn hair and the hawthorn knowing it had come home at last in the presence of both its masters.

* * *

oOoOo

The poignant moment was interrupted by Narcissa's shouts coming from downstairs.

Harry and Draco ran out of the study and dashed downstairs, listening to Narcissa's angry voice. "Leave these boys alone. You have no rights to arrest them!"

The two wizards found a confusing scene in the parlor. Hermione, Ron, Bill, and Luna were surrounded by Aurors with wands drawn directly at them. Narcissa leaned on the doorframe, glaring at the Aurors.

"Mrs. Malfoy, you had better keep quiet," said a stout Auror. "We detected the wards the Ministry put in place around your house were destroyed, and we find these four on the lawn! Mighty suspicious if you ask me; we'll have to detain them for interrogation!"

"Coombs, let's just take them to the holding cells," a thin woman said, her wand oscillating between Luna and Hermione.

Harry pushed Draco's shoulders to keep him in the background as he strode firmly towards the group. "If you arrest my friends, you'll have to take me with them. I was with them all the way."

The eyes of Auror Coombs widened at the sight of Harry Potter. "What is the meaning of this?" he said angrily.

"You'll just have to find out, won't you?" Harry said reasonably. "Can you imagine the headlines in the Daily Prophet tomorrow?" Harry made quotation marks with his fingers. "Aurors arrest the Boy-Who-Lived and other heroes of the War for unknown reasons."

Coombs scowled at Harry, his fingers gripping tightly his wand. "Don't tempt me, Potter! You are not above the law, and your presence here in the face of the obvious relationship you have with this Death Eater here is reason enough to arrest you!"

Harry squared his shoulders, glaring at the Aurors. "So do it. You can't treat me worse than Voldemort did."

Noticing the grimacing faces of the Aurors at the mention of the real name of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Harry growled low in his throat, "You gits don't even have the gumption to listen to his name without shivering like little girls, and yet you dare to arrest me?"

"Potter, don't tempt me!" Coombs shouted, jerking his wand in Harry's direction.

Draco stood poised like an insulted hippogriff, his fingers gripping his hawthorn wand beneath the hem of his robes. If these stupid gits thought they would harm Harry in his presence, they had another thing coming!

"Well, well, what do we have here?" A man said softly, entering the parlor with measured steps.

Ron's face broke out into a wide beam. "Perce, glad you're here!"

Percy Weasley stuck his hands in the pockets of his striped trousers as he nonchalantly studied the Aurors' faces, his attitude implying they were beneath his notice. He nodded curtly at Ron and then Bill, his wild red hair so similar to his brothers'.

Percy pushed up the rim of his glasses with his thumb and said, "I trust you have warrants for their arrest?"

"What?" Coombs roared. "We don't need warrants in the face of clear danger. The wards were destroyed and…"

"And you don't know who destroyed them," Percy said severely. "You found these people here. For all you know, they might have just been passing by and found the way free to visit their friends."

"Then who destroyed the wards? Answer that, Undersecretary Weasley!" Coombs said cagily.

"We have to find out who did it, certainly," Percy said, looking down his nose at the irate Auror. "There will be an investigation for sure. I will certainly advise Minister of Magic Shacklebolt to place the Unspeakables in charge of said investigation."

"What?" Coombs said, his arms hanging limply in disbelief.

"It's obvious that the Aurors can't control their instincts enough, judging by the pitiful display I've just witnessed. And now, if you don't want me to Floo the Minister of Magic and disturb his important conference, you will kindly leave this place."

The Aurors scowled at the wizards and witches before slouching out of the parlor, their shoulder hunched down in defeat.

"And please close the door when you leave," Percy said, disdain tingeing his voice. "Show a tad of good manners at least!"

* * *

oOoOo

**TWO WEEKS LATER**

Harry gripped the edges of the chair, his attention fixed on Draco's silky hair, a dash of blond amidst the plum-colored hats of the members of the Wizengamot. He studied his boyfriend's face with care, noting that the alabaster cheeks were not as pale as they had been when the wards broke. Draco craned his neck to shoot Harry a sneer which warmed his blood before leaning forward to speak to Narcissa, who sat next to Lucius. The Malfoy patriarch seemingly felt Harry's keen gaze on him because Lucius turned his head, glancing severely at Harry before giving him a curt nod.

Harry glared at the members of the Wizengamot for the danger they put Draco and his family through with their ill-timed actions. The staff at St. Mungo's had told him that the Malfoys' health had indeed suffered under the curse-like conditions under those evil wards. It wasn't only the Malfoys: the Parkinsons, Notts and Zabinis among others had suffered under those wards.

Then Harry glanced at Hermione, who sat by his side, noting the way her fingers gripped the smooth edges of her briefcase. Two Parkinson house-elves had died under the malignant wards and naturally Hermione raged on and on about the callous treatment of house-elves after the war, finding an unlikely sympathizer in Draco.

Several Aurors were suspended, their actions under investigation when it came to light that the Ministry had received owls expressing the distress several families felt under the wards. They had duly turned the information to the Auror department which didn't react at all.

The investigation of the destruction of the wards around Malfoy Manor, conducted briskly and professionally by the Unspeakables, promised to yield surprising results. Percy told Harry that the scuttlebutt around the Ministry suggested several heads would roll.

Harry smirked vindictively at that, and then he noticed Mrs. Thistlewaite's lined face glancing at her peers.

The spokesperson for the Wizengamot stood up, coughing discreetly to gather their attention. Mrs. Thistlewaite gripped several parchments on her hands, spotted with age. Then she glanced down at Draco.

"The results of the vote on the motion of annulling the sentence against Draco Malfoy and Narcissa Black Malfoy are as follows: 67 nays and 99 yeas. Therefore, the rights of the aforesaid wizard and witch to use their wands are hereby restored." Mrs. Thistlewaite placed one parchment on the table and read from another. "Furthermore, their house arrest is declared null and void; Lucius Malfoy will still remain in confinement at his home for a period of two years. However, given the results the Unspeakables have communicated to this august body, it is our intention to ban the use of wards to keep people prisoners in their homes."

"YAY!" Harry pumped his fists on the air, carried away by the good news which meant Draco would be able to finish his Eighth Year at Hogwarts alongside Harry. Noticing the startled glances of the wizards and witches around him, Harry ducked his head, not without blushing at the lewd wink his boyfriend shot him.

"We will continue, ignoring Mr. Potter's obvious enthusiasm," Mrs. Thistlewaite said, not unkindly.

She coughed into her hand and leaned down to pick up another sheaf of parchments. Her lips pursed into a thin line, she said, "The results of the investigation of the Unspeakables are of the utmost concern, indicating as they do the rot that lies at the heart of the Auror Department, and indeed in this august body itself."

There was uproar among the wizards until Mrs. Thistlewaite said in a loud voice, "Silence! There are important matters to discuss, such as the anger the management of Gringotts has expressed to us. The conspirators that twisted the purpose of the wards for their nefarious means used blueprints from Gringotts wards, which of course means the goblins had to find other costly means to protect the bank."

The wizards and witches in the audience murmured among themselves at that, aware of the goblins' reluctance to part with money, as well as their long memory.

"You may have noticed the absence of several esteemed members of the Wizengamot today," Mrs. Thistlewaite said somberly.

Hermione's ears pricked up at that. She hadn't seen Mr. Compton's old face twisted in his odious sneer.

"Those people were arrested by the Unspeakables this morning; I'm afraid my colleague Mr. Compton was one of them. They are under suspicion of collusion to use their influence to conspire against former Death Eaters families, in the hope of exacting revenge and lining their pockets as a result of it." Mrs. Thistlewaite placed the parchments on the table, leaning forward to stare down at the audience.

"It is a pity that having just endured the dreadful War imposed on the Wizarding world by a madman, we squabble amongst ourselves in petty revenge, instead of devoting all our energies to rebuilding the Wizarding world!" She banged her fists on the table, startling several old wizards. "It is a disgrace that members of the Wizengamot, the Ministry and the Auror corps engaged in this odious behavior and shielded their base actions behind the law!"

Harry noticed Percy's shock of red hair as he nodded vigorously to these words. He shot Percy a grateful smile for the protection he afforded them the day the Aurors wanted to arrest them all in Malfoy Manor.

"Therefore, the Wizengamot has this stern advice for Minister of Magic Shacklebolt: he should clean up the Ministry just as he promised when he took office. Unfortunately this lamentable incident tells us he hasn't been as diligent as he ought to be; therefore, we expect him to find a new Head Auror within four days." Mrs. Thistlewaite raised her hand to quell the growing agitation of the audience. "Silence! The Wizengamot is only catching up on its duties, doing what should have been done during Cornelius Fudge's fumbling tenure as Minister of Magic. Santayana, a Muggle philosopher, once said, '_Those_ who cannot _learn from history are doomed to repeat it.'"_

Mrs. Thistlewaite placed her hands on the table, her voice rising as she continued. "The Wizengamot refuses to believe we are condemned to repeat another frightful War, pitting purebloods against Muggleborns once more, and we will take corrective actions to stop that rot before it spreads!"

"This is madness!" yelled a young witch in the audience. "Shacklebolt is doing a great job!"

"Which nearly led many families to their deaths," Mrs. Thistlewaite said in a tired voice. "If Minister Shacklebolt fails to comply with our advice, this body is ready to force a vote of no-confidence. Should the Minister lose the vote, a new Government shall be formed."

Mrs. Thistlewaite sat down, ignoring the slurs and hateful looks directed her way while she calmly sipped pumpkin juice from a copper goblet.

Once the people had calmed down, Hermione squared her shoulders and raised her hand.

Mrs. Thistlewaite peered down at her. "What do you want to say, Miss Granger?"

"In the spirit of what you have just said I will quote George Santayana again, _'Injustice in this world is not something comparative; the wrong is deep, clear, and absolute in each private fate.'_" Hermione lifted her chin, her glance sliding along the members of the Wizengamot, some of which looked at her with sympathy while others averted their gaze. "I'm talking about the house-elves, two of whom died in this useless squabble you mention. Isn't it time we do something about it, to show the world that we are no longer slaves of tradition?"

Hermione smiled when Ron gripped her elbow lightly while Harry mumbled under his breath, "Way to go, Hermione!"

"I don't mean to say we should free the house-elves immediately," Hermione said softly, recalling the pain she had seen in Winky's eyes when she no longer had a master. "But we should grant them some freedoms and increase them gradually until the time comes when they are as free as they can be. After all, these sentient, magical beings have no choices now."

"Wise words indeed, Miss Granger," Mrs. Thistlewaite's lips lifted up in a fleeting smile directed at Hermione. "You will be pleased to hear that the last item on the agenda before we close this session is the bill for the improvement of the rights of house-elves."

Hermione felt time passing as slow as tired flobberworms while she waited on tenterhooks to hear the results of the vote. She tried to listen to the deliberations as they went on and on, but she was too keyed up to pay much attention. Instead she concentrated on visualizing other paths that would grant the house-elves the freedom they deserved.

When the deliberations stopped and the votes started being counted, each nay cutting deep in her heart, Hermione distracted herself watching Harry and Draco flirting. Draco would rub his fingers through his silky hair and lean down to ostensibly tie the laces of his shoes, offering Harry a tantalizing glimpse of his rump. Then Draco would turn his head, his grey eyes shining while Harry brushed his fingers through his tousled hair and licked his lips.

Hermione's attention was wholly captivated by the Seekers engaging in their unusual mating ritual, so Mrs. Thistlewaite's voice jolted her.

"We have the results for the vote that deals with the bill for the improvement of the rights of house-elves," Mrs. Thistlewaite said solemnly. "The numbers are as follows: 80 nays and 86 yeas. The yeas have it, and therefore the bill is approved."

Hermione couldn't help herself; she pumped her fists on the air, although she did not shout out loud like Harry had done.

Fighting to keep a smile off her face, Mrs. Thistlewaite banged her gavel and then stood up. "This session of the Wizengamot has come to an end."

Harry stood up, his joints creaking after so much time sitting down. He gave Hermione a warm hug and clapped Ron's back, his eyes looking for the distinctive shock of blond hair he knew so well.

While the witches and wizards made their way out of the hall, Harry reached Draco, who was talking to his mother.

Narcissa shot Harry a sly smirk. "Harry, you might want to borrow Draco's hair gel; your hair looks slightly in disarray."

Harry gulped and blinked owlishly at her while Narcissa patted Draco's shoulder. "I have to leave, son. Lucius waits for me at the entrance. I'll see you at the Manor; we have to get your stuff for Hogwarts."

Narcissa strolled towards the exit as Harry brushed his fingers through his hair. "Why did she mention your hair gel?"

"Mother is very observant." Draco smirked. "And your hair does look like an owl's nest."

Harry shot him a heated glare while Draco leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Love it. Makes it look like you've just been shagged into next week."

Harry's lips twisted in a lopsided smirk. "Wonder what your hair looks like after a shag?"

"Why don't we find out?" Draco leered, his fingers brushing Harry's arm.

"Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy," Mrs. Thistlewaite said, interrupting the banter of the wizards. "Can you come to my office to clear up some things?"

"Certainly, Mrs. Thistlewaite," Draco drawled. He gripped Harry's arm. "I'll see you in Grimmauld Place after I'm done."

"Looking forward to it." Harry shot him a smoldering look while Draco walked towards Mrs. Thistlewaite's office.

* * *

oOoOo

"Sit down, Malfoy." Mrs. Thistlewaite pointed to the chair on the other side of her worn desk. "I am very pleased with your work."

Draco sat down on the chair and crossed his legs, a fleeting smirk on his handsome face. "Thank you, Unspeakable Thistlewaite."

She waved her hand at him. "No need to use titles here, Malfoy. This is a very informal debriefing. I'll start by saying I'm glad you accepted my offer when the tendencies in the Wizengamot indicated your sentence would pass."

"I couldn't leave Mother and Father alone." Draco shrugged. "Your words promised some relief later on, and I jumped at that."

"Spoken like a true Slytherin." Mrs. Thistlewaite took out her wand and accio'd a couple of butterbeer bottles which she poured into two goblets. She pushed one towards Draco and hefted the other one to sip the smooth drink.

"I've learned to scale down my plans," Draco said and leaned forward to grab the copper goblet which felt cold under his fingertips. "To work in small steps, if you will."

"Still, you placed yourself in considerable danger when you accepted to bait the trap. When the Malfoy heir meekly accepted his fate and didn't flee to France, the conspirators felt safe. I've read the Healer reports from St. Mungo's and I have to say it was a very close call."

Draco sighed and then sipped the butterbeer, glancing at Mrs. Thistlewaite over the rim of the goblet. "I have faith in Harry," he said simply. "And it gave me the opportunity to work undercover to find out the whole extent of the conspiracy. Everyone thought I was helpless when the news spread that I was trapped in the Manor."

"Your idea of using the Malfoy Mirrors to find out the financial implications was a stroke of genius." She looked sharply at Draco. "You pieced together the information your friends provided to find out the true reasons for the wards: they wanted the money from all your vaults."

"They were a greedy lot," Draco sighed, his fingers cradling the stem of the goblet. "I had to let the goblins know to protect our money. Hope you're not mad at that."

"Not at all," she said. "We expect and desire a certain amount of independence from our Unspeakables. Besides, it put the goblins on our side. Their anger is formidable indeed, and it will force Shacklebolt to comply with our demands and clean up the Ministry."

"Our Unspeakables….?" Draco trailed off, cocking an eyebrow at Mrs. Thistlewaite.

"Come back to see us when you've graduated from Hogwarts and you'll have a place in our ranks," she said.

"I still don't see why you accepted me." Draco shook his head. "I'm just a former Death Eater."

"So was Severus Snape, and he was the wizard that contributed the most to vanquish Voldemort." She raised his hand in apology. "Apart from Harry Potter."

"Was Severus an Unspeakable?" Draco said with a big lump on his throat at the mention of his mentor.

"We don't divulge that kind of information, Malfoy," she said firmly. "But you knew Snape's fierce pride and independence; that will tell you the answer."

Draco sighed sadly, sipping the butterbeer as he gazed at the window in her office.

"We need people with skills and determination, who work well under pressure and show ingenuity," she said. "Your past doesn't matter as much as the choices you make from now on."

"I guess I'm forbidden to tell anyone when I become an Unspeakable," Draco said.

"That is true, you are allowed to tell only your spouse or your partner," she said briskly and put the goblet aside, and then she grabbed a sheaf of parchments and started ruffling through them.

Knowing he was dismissed, Draco stood up and walked to the door.

Mrs. Thistlewaite looked up and said, "Out of curiosity, will you tell Harry?"

"That I was the bait in the trap and you offered me a job?" Draco drawled. "Course I will! Harry deserves to know and besides, you don't want to mess with an angry Harry Potter!"

Mrs. Thistlewaite smiled at that while Draco's fingers closed around the doorknob.

Then she said in a whisper, "What about your whole reasons to accept our agreement? Will you let Harry know?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a Ravenclaw myself, Malfoy," she said. "I watched your face closely when I mentioned the ramifications of the conspiracy, our suspicions that these wizards intended to take out known supporters of fair treatment for purebloods, like Granger, Weasley, and Potter. You were very concerned and it was obvious to me that Harry Potter was the main reason you accepted my offer."

Draco leaned on the doorframe and took a deep breath to calm himself. "To answer your question, I will never tell Harry. Let this be a small atonement for all the pain I put him in through the years."

Draco opened the door and walked out of her office.

Mrs. Thistlewaite turned her attention to her parchments, listening as the sound of Draco's footsteps receded in the distance, and then she whispered softly, "Good luck, Draco. You deserve it."

* * *

_Next, the conclusion_


	5. Epilogue: The two masters

_**Warning:** NC-17. graphic sex_

* * *

Coming directly from the Wizengamot, Draco stumbled as he stepped out of the Floo but quickly recovered his equilibrium. He brushed the ash off his shoulders with the palms of his hands and walked towards the middle of the parlor, his gaze sliding across the dark room where he expected to glimpse a mop of black hair.

"Harry, where are you?" he shouted.

"Upstairs, I'm waiting for you!" Harry's voice seemed muffled, coming through the half-open door.

Draco made his way into the dark hall and took the stairs at a trot, glancing at the clear squares in between the cracked, aged wallpaper. Narcissa had told him about the strange Black family custom of hanging the heads of the elves as gruesome trophies. He shook his head and gripped the banister tighter.

"I gave Kreacher the day off," Harry said in a loud voice coming farther down the corridor. Draco followed the sound and finally came to a door which he softly pushed, the hinges creaking as it swung open.

The sight that greeted Draco coaxed a moan out of his lips. In the middle of the rumpled sheets of a big four poster bed was Harry, his back propped up against the headboard with several pillows. He was bare, exposing miles of smooth skin to Draco's hungry gaze. His eyes followed the supple lines of strong calves that led to wide thighs. Draco tilted up his chin and noticed Harry's hungry gaze directed at him; his grey eyes gazed at Harry's broad chest, his eyes following the taut muscles downward until the ridges of his sculpted abs, ending in the patch of dark hair around Harry's arousal, long and thick.

Draco's mouth watered at the sight and his cock throbbed at the sound of Harry's voice, rough with lust. "Didn't want Kreacher around us when I shag you into next week."

Harry's fingers gripped his dick as he narrowed his eyes at Draco. "You're wearing too many clothes."

With a slight motion of Harry's hand he cast a wandless spell. Draco's clothes writhed on his body and took off like startled crows until he stood nude in front of the bed, his pale cock jutting proudly.

Harry palmed his thick shaft and his thumb swirled around his glistening cockhead. "Ride me," he ordered, his guttural voice oozing sex.

Draco's entrance throbbed with the need to feel Harry inside him. He stepped towards the bed and scooted on his knees towards Harry, swinging his left leg around Harry's hip and settling on his lap, his cock rubbing teasingly Harry's dick.

Harry made a fist around both their cocks while Draco whimpered at the sweet friction, his pale hand reaching down to grip both of them, feeling Harry's dick deliciously throbbing around his fingers as it nudged his own cock.

Harry glanced up at him. "Want to see you squirm in pleasure as you bob up and down on my cock. Wanted it for months, my obsession in those lonely woods. The promise of this…" He squeezed lightly their dicks. "That's what kept me going."

Draco groaned as Harry lifted his arm, waving his hand to cast wandlessly the _Lubricius_ spell. Draco wiggled his hips at the uncomfortable sensation of thick lube cooling his insides.

"Should've warned me, Potter!" He growled.

Harry's hands caressed the white thighs that straddled his hips as he smirked up at Draco. "Scared, Malfoy?"

"You wish!" Draco huffed, his fingers sliding down the crease of his thighs, his thumb finally swirling around his slick entrance before he breached himself, wincing at the slight burn.

"Merlin!" Harry groaned. "You look so hot as you spread yourself on your fingers!"

Draco bent down to kiss Harry while he slid another finger into his eager body, his moans greedily swallowed by his boyfriend.

Draco scissored his fingers, wincing at the burn, the pad of his forefinger striking a glancing blow at the pleasure spot inside his body which made him shiver. His muscles clenched around his knuckles, but it wasn't enough. He needed something thicker; he needed Harry. Pale fingers slid out of him with a lewd popping sound and Draco scooted forward on his knees.

Harry closed his thumb and forefinger around his shaft, lifting his other hand to spread Draco's cheeks as he guided him down onto his cock.

The blunt cockhead easily breached Draco's slick, open hole as Harry slid his hands under pale thighs to hold his lover's weight. Draco shimmied his hips, savoring the stretch as he slowly sank down; he spread his thighs wider, grimacing at the thick girth that stretched his body like it was being cleaved in two. At that moment of their flesh joining together, Draco felt a complete connection with Harry, like he was an integral part of him.

The burning stretch was unpleasant, though, until Draco arched his back, the angle shifting the sensations around the dick which impaled him and nudging his sweet spot. Draco thrust down his hips, closing his eyes and squirming when he felt the wiry hair scratching his thighs as he was completely impaled.

Harry rumbled deep in his chest at the tight heat that gripped his cock. He squinted at Draco riding him, letting his magic free so it would do what he had dreamed of during those lonely nights in the forbidding woods.

Draco opened his eyes, startled at the sensation of the thick cock leaving his body until only the flared crown spread his rim, and then he moaned as Harry's magic let him down gently until he sat on Harry's lap again.

"You like it, Draco?" Harry chuckled darkly, his fingers closing around Draco's swollen cockhead. "Magic making you bounce up and down on my cock?"

"Again, faster!" babbled Draco.

Harry savored the sight of the pale body covered with a fine sheen of sweat and the pleasure shining through Draco's exquisite face. He enjoyed coaxing these emotions from the wizard he was in love with, to see him come undone, bereft of his polished manners.

To make Draco forget the harsh world as Harry claimed him, knowing no one else would ever get to see him like this for Draco was his, forever.

Magic swirled around the two wizards, effortlessly lifting Draco as his muscles clenched greedily around Harry's cock to keep it inside him, the drag against his walls and rim driving him wild. Then magic pushed him down harshly, Harry's dick invading his slick channel, tantalizingly jabbing against his prostate until he was grinding down on Harry's lap. The feeling of fullness coaxed whimpers from Draco which Harry's ears drank, sweaty dark hair plastered on his skull.

Harry closed his fist around Draco's neglected dick, pumping him to the same harsh rhythm in which he rose and fell.

"Merlin!" Draco groaned as Harry's relentless magic manhandled him so roughly he was squirming with pleasure, feeling Harry inside and around him, until his hole clenched tight when he impacted Harry's lap. He came with a hoarse shout, spurts of come landing on Harry's chin and chest, sliding down his torso to dribble down onto the sheets.

Harry pumped up his hips, thrusting into the tight heat that gripped him like a vise. The vision of Draco's face twisted in utmost pleasure was the last push he needed to climax. He came with a grunt, bathing Draco's insides with his warm come.

His power lifted Draco's exhausted body off Harry, laying him down gently on the bed alongside him. Directing his magic precisely so it produced the sexy movements had been harder than breaking the Malfoy wards, Harry conceded, his breath coming in harsh pants due to the magical exertion.

He managed to cast a cleaning spell as Draco cuddled next to him. In the aftermath of their powerful orgasms, the Seekers fell into a deep, relaxing sleep.

* * *

oOoOo

Draco nibbled on his toast and glanced at Harry, his nose wrinkling at the unseemly Muggle pajamas his lover wore. "That was an extraordinary display of magic last night."

"Practiced a lot during those lonely stretches we did nothing but stroll through the woods." Harry shrugged, wolfing down his sausages and eggs, the morning light peeking through the windows of the master bedroom at 12 Grimmauld Place.

Draco thrust his chin at the door. "Your house-elf is strange."

"Kreacher was almost pleasant," Harry said, narrowing his eyes. "Guess the fact I hooked up with the Malfoy heir makes him very pleased."

"Whatever," Draco drawled, leaning down to pick up the glass of milk. He glanced at Harry's calm expression and decided to take the plunge and tell him the truth.

"I've got a job offer," Draco said between sips. "You won't believe with whom."

"Gringotts?" Harry arched an eyebrow.

Draco shook his head.

"The Aurors?"

"No, I don't like those prats," Draco answered.

"Then who offered you the job?" Harry said, running out of patience.

"The Unspeakables."

"You're taking the piss out of me!" Harry growled. "I've heard it's very hard to get them to take you, and you haven't even finished Hogwarts!"

"An opportunity came up to work undercover." Draco shrugged. "They said they would help me afterwards if I accepted their offer, and I just had to take it. I have to admit I was in a very tight spot."

Harry narrowed his eyes at Draco, pushing aside his half-eaten breakfast. "That was recently, I suppose."

Draco nodded slowly.

"So you mean to tell me you were working undercover all that time in the Manor?" Harry said incredulously, his voice rising in anger. "That I breached the bloody wards for nothing?"

Draco raised his hand. "I did work under the instructions of the Unspeakables; they were rather vague though. Managed to puzzle out some information using the Malfoy Mirrors, one of which you saw."

"You were talking to the Unspeakables that time in your study?" Harry said, curiosity overriding his annoyance.

"No, I was talking to Tinaxle, a goblin. One Mirror was in our vaults and I used it to convey my suspicions that the Gringotts wards were compromised, based on what Pansy, Theo, and Blaise told me."

"Quite Slytherin of you," Harry said with a frown.

"It was the only means of communication with the outside world, as I told you," Draco said softly. "We were truly trapped inside the Manor and if you hadn't broken those wards, I would have died."

Then Draco lowered his chin, his pale fingers playing with the fork on the table. "I had to do it to help Mother and Father. I hope you're not too angry."

Harry's fingers brushed against Draco's wrist. "Not angry, just surprised is all. Guess I should've seen it coming, knowing you're always planning something."

Draco intertwined his fingers with Harry's. "This time the plan worked."

Harry shot him a smile. "Good for you!" Then he puzzled his eyebrows in thought. "Oi, I've heard the Unspeakables can only tell their wives and husbands?"

Draco nodded. "That's true. But since I'm not ever letting you go, I thought I might as well tell you now."

Harry's predatory gaze swept up and down Draco's body. "It's good that you realize you're forever mine."

* * *

oOoOo

**Hogwarts, Last day of Eighth Year**

Hermione brushed a lock of hair off her forehead, glancing down at the parchment she held between her fingers.

"What is it, Mione?" Ron said, brushing the pie crumbs off his robes.

"The Ministry accepted my application," she said, craning her chin to beam at her boyfriend. "I'll work in the new Liaison Department between magical beings and wizards."

"That's great, Hermione!" Harry said, his hand sliding down the table to rub his boyfriend's thigh.

"I'm going to travel around the world for a year, hoping to get a glimpse of a Snorkack or two. What will you do, Harry?" Luna eyed Harry from across the table.

In their final year at Hogwarts, Headmistress McGonagall had decided to ease restrictions and allow the students to sit where they wanted, hoping for better relations between the Houses. It worked to some extent, but the main push to break the barriers that had stood for centuries came from Harry and Draco's relationship. The two wizards had certainly met some hostility, but their swift wands assured them peace.

"I'm not sure," Harry said. "I might take up Quidditch again, you know. I'm not that rusty after battling this prat for the Quidditch Cup." He beamed at Draco.

"And you, Ron?" Luna said.

"George needs help running Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes." Ron pulled a dish towards him. "I might join the Ministry later, though."

"Following on your father's footsteps," Draco said.

"Exactly." Ron sighed and then started wolfing down another pie.

"What about you, Draco?" Hermione said.

"I might become a Potions Master, or a Healer; I might even follow Harry into Quidditch," Draco drawled. "I'm not sure."

Harry bit back a smile at that, knowing that Draco's heart was set on becoming an Unspeakable, though it would be interesting if he turned to Quidditch as a cover. The battles they would wage to catch the Snitch would be legendary!

* * *

oOoOo

On the evening of Graduation Day, Harry felt melancholic and wanted to spend time alone. He made his way to the Black Lake and sat on the shore, throwing stones at the placid water as dusk settled down on his last day at Hogwarts.

He didn't want to leave Hogwarts, the home that had sheltered him for so long. Sure, he had his friends and his fiancé, but it wouldn't be the same to live far away from the castle. He glanced up at the stout Hogwarts towers in the distance, wishing he could shrink them and keep them in his pocket forever.

"What are you doing here on your own, Mr. Potter?"

Harry glanced up at Maurice Berkano, the professor of Ancient Runes they got when Bathsheba Babbling took a sabbatical. The wizard made him uncomfortable, though; there was something in the way he was always studying him and his friends that got under his nerves. Harry had even mentioned it to McGonagall but she dismissed his worries, pointing out that Berkano's credentials were impeccable.

Harry shrugged. "Wanted some time on my own. It's hard to believe I'm finally leaving this place."

Berkano pulled out a thin book from his robes and opened it, muttering. "There's a certain rune that may help you. It soothes the mind, according to the Norse sagas. It's right here but I can't see it well in the twilight." He crouched down, his shoes squeaking on the pebbles that littered the shore. "Mind lending me a _Lumos_, Potter?"

"Sure." Harry stood up, his hand fishing out his wand from his robes. He lifted it to cast the spell but in his moment of distraction, Berkano had pulled out his wand.

_"Expelliarmus!"_ Berkano yelled and Harry's wand flew towards the shore. This was followed by a quick _"Incarcerous!"_

Harry fell to the ground, his body tightly bound with ropes. "What the hell?" He shouted.

Berkano walked towards the spot Harry's wand had fallen and lifted it in triumph. "At last, the moment I have been waiting for all year long!"

"What do you want?" Harry said angrily, squirming upon the wet pebbles that poked his back. "You're a Death Eater, aren't you?" He spat out. "Or you follow that prat Compton and want to free him?"

Berkano glanced down at Harry, a sinister smirk on his pale face. "I'm neither a Death Eater nor a follower of the person you mention. I'm simply a man that wants to become the most powerful wizard in the world."

"What do you mean?"

"I've studied the ancient myths during my long career, Potter, including the Deathly Hallows," Berkano said. "I've also read carefully the published accounts of your Hogwarts years and the Final Battle, and I know the reason you vanquished You-Know-Who. You were the Master of the Elder Wand and thus unbeatable, and since I've just bested you, the fabled Elder wand is mine!"

Harry shuddered at that. This bloke seemed to have gleaned the correct facts, reading between the lines of the books that had been published.

"Now I'm off to Dumbledore's tomb to reclaim what is mine."

Berkano disapparated while Harry thrashed around violently. It was useless, the ropes held him very tightly. He concentrated on his wandless magic and it seemed to work, the ropes becoming looser as the seconds tickled by.

But Harry was still bound when Berkano returned, his fingers caressing lovingly the knobs that ran down the length of the Elder wand.

The wizard leered down at Harry. "I hate to do this to you, Potter. After all, you've given me possession of the wand of Destiny, but I have to erase the evidence. I'm sure you understand."

The wizard brandished the Elder wand at Harry.

"Hold it right there!" Draco yelled, pointing his hawthorn wand directly at Berkano's chest.

Harry's heart beat madly against his ribs when he recognized Draco's voice. He thrashed madly on the ground, twisting his body to escape the ropes and help Draco. His fiancé didn't know what he was facing! Berkano was unbeatable, given that he had wrested possession of Harry's wand, thus gaining the allegiance of the Elder wand.

"Draco, run!" He shouted. "Berkano has the Elder wand!"

"You're barmy if you think I'm leaving you here, Potter!" Draco huffed in indignation. "I was looking for you and cast a Point Me spell just to find you at the hands of this git, and you want me to run?"

"He has the wand!" Harry said desperately.

"Indeed I do," Berkano growled darkly. "And I'm very tired of listening to you two squabbling all the time. The moment has come to rid the world of the useless Draco Malfoy!"

Berkano swished the Elder wand at Draco's heart, shouting, _"Avada Kedavra!"_

Draco shot the first spell that came to his mind to defend himself. _"Expelliarmus!"_

From his position on the ground, Harry's heart throbbed painfully as he looked up at the green beam of the Killing Curse which met the red glow of Expelliarmus. He fully expected his boyfriend to die, and Harry closed his eyes briefly, unable to watch the lifeless body of his Draco as he hit the ground.

But a strange play of light glimmered through his eyelids and Harry opened his eyes. He saw the glow of the spell and the curse mixing, and noticed the green beam was retracting, going back towards the place it had started from. Finally, it reached Berkano and enveloped his body in a green haze.

Berkano's lifeless body fell to the ground while Draco rushed towards Harry, swishing his hawthorn wand to free him. The ropes disappeared and Draco bent down, wrapping his fingers around Harry's forearm to pull him up.

"What happened?" Harry said in confusion. "Berkano won possession of the Elder wand; you should be dead!"

Draco glared at Harry and poked his chest. "Thanks for your vote of confidence, Potter! I have an inkling, but we had better take the body of this git to McGonagall, along with the wands."

"I expected you to use a Dark curse," Harry said as he picked up the Elder wand which lay nestled between two rocks.

"I shouted the first spell that came to my mind." Draco bent down to pick up Harry's wand. "To tell the truth, I've tried not to think of Dark curses and I'm glad I didn't use one; I might have jeopardized my position with the Unspeakables."

Harry shot Draco a wide grin as he brandished his wand and cast _Levicorpus_ on Berkano's body. Then the two wizards made their way back to Hogwarts.

* * *

oOoOo

"I'm very sorry, Potter and Malfoy." Headmistress McGonagall pursed her mouth in a thin line, casting a disapproving look at Berkano's body. "Nothing in this man's resume or life indicated his unbridled ambition. He wasn't a Death Eater or a bigot of any kind."

"He just wanted to become the most powerful wizard in the world," Harry said calmly.

"Indeed. He managed to puzzle out the facts that we have labored so hard to conceal between the lines." McGonagall tilted down her chin to frown at the wands on her desk, her pointy hat leaning down like the prow of a Viking ship.

"It should have worked, though," Harry said with a frown. "He won possession of my wand and by extension of the Elder wand, the same way I did with Draco."

McGonagall tilted up her chin, staring at her two students while she bit back a sigh. Hogwarts would certainly be different without the two rambunctious wizards in front of her starting a fight, or causing a scene by kissing in the middle of the Great Hall.

"I can draw certain conclusions from the talk we had at the beginning of the school year," McGonagall said, her gaze sliding from Harry to Draco. "You two told me about the incident when the Malfoy wards were broken, and the explanations offered by Lovegood and Granger."

"Berkano did win possession of my wand," Harry said while Draco rolled his eyes at his boyfriend's stubbornness.

"You also told me about the sparks of magic both of you felt when you grabbed the hawthorn wand together," McGonagall pointed out.

"It felt like the wand had chosen both of us," Draco said.

"That is my own inference, Malfoy." McGonagall nodded. "This incident demonstrates that both of you are the masters of the wand of Destiny."

"How come?" Harry said. "I thought the wand could only have one master at a time."

"Granger and Lovegood expressed it well," McGonagall said. "The wand of Destiny is that which the Master of the Elder wand chooses as his own. It is immanent, dwelling in the world just like Death. Yet the wand chose you both."

The Headmistress glanced at Draco. "It chose you as its master before you started Hogwarts, and then chose Harry as another master after he bested you and escaped your Manor. It seems to me the wand senses the inextricable ties between you. Your feelings for each other and your magic are so intertwined that the wand sees only one strong bond and it is that which holds its allegiance."

Draco pursed his brow in thought. "So when Berkano cast the Killing Curse at me, it didn't work because he hadn't won over both of us."

"Exactly, Malfoy!" McGonagall nodded energetically. "The wand of Destiny, having recognized both of you as its masters, cannot change allegiance unless the two of you are bested by the same person! It couldn't work against one of its masters, and that's why the Killing Curse rebounded and destroyed Berkano."

"That's quite useful," Harry muttered.

"I must impress upon both of you the importance of keeping this a secret." McGonagall frowned sternly at them. "Tell no one about this! There might be people that will duplicate Berkano's reasoning, and this simple fact is your secret defense against ambitious wizards you might meet in the future."

"And you wanted me to run!" Draco shot Harry a weak glare.

"Only to save you, git!" Harry shot back with a fleeting smile, and then he leaned forward to pick his own wand.

"Potter and Malfoy, I need to notify the authorities and return the Elder wand to Albus' tomb." McGonagall sighed sadly. "I'll have to tell them Berkano was killed by an intruder; this way they won't interrogate the two of you and draw the same conclusions I have deduced."

Draco nodded at the Headmistress and made his way to the door followed by Harry, who turned to wave at McGonagall.

The Headmistress listened to their bantering voices which slowly faded away as they made their way downstairs.

"Indeed, Hogwarts will feel empty without these two," she whispered softly.

* * *

oOoOo

"So what were you doing in the Black Lake?" Draco wiggled his eyebrows at Harry, the clouds on the ceiling of the Great Hall darkening rapidly as the day drew to an end.

"I was feeling rather sad, so I wanted to be by myself." Harry lowered his chin, his dragonhide boots thudding softly on the marble floor.

"Your last day at Hogwarts getting you down, I guess." Draco stuck his hands in the pockets of his robes, the fingers of his left hand caressing his hawthorn wand.

"That's right."

"You still have your friends and you know I'll stick by you through thick or thin," Draco said, nudging Harry's elbow.

"I know, but it is sad to leave this place." Harry's voice was tinged with melancholy which his lover wanted to erase.

Draco jostled Harry's arm. "What do you say to a fast game of one-on-one Quidditch? The winner gets to top tonight."

"But it will soon be night," Harry pointed his hand at the ceiling.

"So what?" He shrugged. "We'll cast a spell on the Snitch to make it shine." The corners of Draco's lips twisted in the trademark Malfoy smirk. "Or are you scared I'll beat you?"

"In your dreams, Draco!" Harry stared at him, heat coiling on his groin. "Your winning the Cup was just a fluke. You're on!"

The two wizards dashed out of the Great Hall and strolled towards the Quidditch Pitch.

In the fading light of the setting sun, their black robes melded into the background, only Draco's blond hair and Harry's tousled locks visible from a distance as the two wizards ran towards the Pitch.

Harry and Draco's silhouettes fused together in the fading light at last, resembling their magic and lives which were inextricably linked. Now and forever.

* * *

**THE END **


End file.
